Disclaimer: All of the characters in this non-cannon (AU) story are owned by Akira Toriyama.
Trunks
"I must say, Pam— "
"Pan."
"Pan," I must remember that this time, "that you got some guts to give me that love letter— "
"It wasn't a love letter." She shyly giggles, softly and quiet. "It's just the way I think of you; my point of view."
"Ah. So you're telling me that talking about how unique my lavender locks are isn't something you love."
Her cheekbones lighten up as she tries to hide her head in a shrug, as if she was a turtle. Trunks 1 – Pan 0.
I see her straighten up. That shy giggle comes again. "Not exactly."
"Just admit it, Pan."
No interruptions? That means… Yes! Got it right this time. She rolls her black-coal eyes at me, but her lips are still pursed in that same repressed smile she had when I asked her out.
Right after school, I brought her to the Mayberry Parlor, probably one of the best ice cream parlors in Japan. Girls love it here, it's all pink and girly and they got any ice cream flavor you can imagine.
I'm such a nice person, fulfilling girls' dreams and so. Giving my time to people who need it. I can't help but smile to myself, I should do this more often. I really deserve an award.
"Um, Trunks." Pan's lids flutter rapidly, like if she had a speck in her eyes or something. I purse my brow.
"Is something wrong with your eyes?"
As soon as I say it, she stops the blinking. "Not really…"
Oh… by the disappointed and shameful look on her face I realize the—failed—trick up her sleeve. She was trying the 'flirty eyes' thing. I let a small laugh come out, innocent and clumsy. Interesting combination.
"What's so funny?"
"Uh?" I shook my head. "Sorry, I was just thinking…"
"…What about?" she's holding the same smile, just that now is sagging a little.
I chuckle. "You're just adorable."
Her weak smile enhances again. I think it even becomes bigger. Her hair is loosely braided, probably was tighter earlier today. I don't know, I didn't really notice her.
She tucks behind her ear a strand that managed to escape the grip. She blushes brightly (again), and I notice soft and spacious freckles sprinkled on her upper cheeks and across the bridge of her nose, only visible when you look up closely, or when you stare. She sheepishly grins to the floor, or well, to the table below us.
She's actually kind of pretty.
"Trunks," she speaks up, not long after thanking me, "there's something you must know."
"What is it, sunshine?"
Uh? Sunshine?
I swear I didn't mean to call her that, it just came out naturally. Not that is something Marron wouldn't approve. She wouldn't really care. She'd think it's too childish for her. She'd rather be called "sexy" or "smoking hot". But Pan doesn't seem to be bothered with that nickname. Once again, her cheeks speak for her.
She says something I can barely even hear. I arch an eyebrow. She gets my language.
"I'm lactose intolerant." She mumbles. I stare, deadpanned.
If she were someone else, I'd probably make a fun of her or just leave. But I really feel like I can't. She's my wooer, not that I'm running out of those, and I sort of knew she liked me before she told me, but you know. Maybe I like her guts…? Jeez, I don't know.
Don't let her down.
Whatever.
Before I can say anything that makes me look like an ass, I mentally breathe in and breathe out…
It's basically the same thing as meeting a fan.
I can't be an ass to my fan. Especially when she thinks I'm, according to her letter, "interesting in every possible aspect". I wouldn't want to vanish that idea of me.
"You're here to have fun, aren't you?"
-.-.-
She laughs. I like her laugh. Don't misunderstand me, in the most superficial and irrelevant of ways. It's so bubbly and gentle. It has that raindrop-like ending, and her throat makes an out-of-air noise when she catches her breath back again. It seems so, I don't know, real.
"I can't believe you actually ended up that milkshake!" And the laughter keeps going…
In the meantime,
My insides are rotting. I put my best smile so that she doesn't realize of how nauseous I am. I can imagine how drooly and weary I'm looking. Probably that's what she's laughing so hard at…
What I do for just a 'fan'.
Remember how I said that the Mayberry Parlor had every ice cream flavor in the world? Well, I was forced to drink a bacon milkshake… it wouldn't have tasted that bad if I wouldn't hate pork so much.
Pan
We're holding hands.
I can barely believe my own thoughts, but if it weren't because of his tight grip, I wouldn't believe it at all.
We've been walking around the Mount Paozu's lake. And I'm still wondering how Gran hasn't seen me through her kitchen window, or how Gramps isn't out here fishing barehanded. Dad… well he must be working hard on his projects. And I don't even want to imagine what uncle Goten's preaching will be like, while he'll actually owe me one. I feel like they're somewhat spying on me, on us. It's bugging me.
He has a girlfriend.
I shake my head microscopically. I'm not letting those thoughts bother me, not now. It's a quiet environment, all we can listen to is the wind and some crickets starting to chirp. My right fingers are entwined with his left ones.
We stop. He stops walking. I can't leave him behind. He grabs me by the arm and pulls me in front of him. We're face to face now. He looks down at me. I look up at him, his eyes ready to stare into mine. I can see every shade of blue in them. He caresses my cheek. I look down to the grass. He ducks his head below my face to catch my eyes, his left hand in his pocket while the right one still rests on my cheekbone.
"C'mon Pan," his face is still underneath mine, "I think my lips are prettier than my shoes."
And without even having the question, I feel like it's already answered. I'm surprised by a kiss.
-.-.-
"Where've you been?"
"Un—" I stop when I remember I can't call him that in front of anyone. "Goten."
"You should've been here hours ago," and it's not until then when he realizes Trunks standing next to me. The frown he had becomes even narrower than before, and his stare turns into a glare. "What's going on?"
I look down and see how I'm still taking hold of Trunks' hand. I unlace my fingers from his, immediately. As if he had given me an electric shock.
"Hey man," Trunks speaks up, "I just took her for an ice cream and then right back home. Not a big deal."
"Pan is lactose intolerant." Uncle Goten snaps.
"He knows." I try to cut off the tension, but it's nearly impossible. It's incredibly thick, and Trunks isn't even providing any of it.
"Um," he says, "I should get going. Got some duties to finish." And I know he's talking to me, only me. He lightly punches my shoulder. I push his chest playfully as a response, but he doesn't move a millimeter. He's solid, like a wall. He chuckles.
"Goodbye, Pan."
-.-.-
"What in the world is wrong with you?!"
Uncle Goten gets all hysterical when I bring people home, I know that now. He's exaggeratedly moving his hands over his head. He tries to intimidate me, but if this wouldn't feel so wrong I'd probably be holding back my desires to laugh.
"Can't I become friends with new people?"
He gives me a dead look, "You can go jump off a cliff or whatnot as long as you don't bring people to our household." and walks off.
"I didn't bring him," I say, as I follow behind him with long, dragging steps, "he offered! How could I reject his offer? You know how I feel about him!" and now I'm staring at him with my best apologizing, pleading, puppy eyes.
"Jeez Pan," his facial features soften, "but you know the rules. Do you know what could happen to us if anyone finds out that I'm not your brother?"
So every time that he brings up that topic in an argument, I'm left mouth shut. I don't have some other argument to snap back at him. I never do. I nod quietly.
-.-.-
I drop myself backwards to bounce on my bed.
I wonder what Trunks is doing right now. I wonder if he's thinking about me, or why did he kiss me anyway. I actually got a lot of things in mind.
Kami... That moment replays over and over, nonstop in my head. His lips were so warm compared to the breeze. And unlike his gritty hands, they were so soft and gentle to mine. It only lasted about 3 seconds, though. I wished it would've lasted way much more.
But he has a girlfriend. Or had? I'm not sure, I don't think Trunks is the cheating type.
Does this mean I replaced Marron Chestnut's spot? It's almost unbelievable.
But I can't feel the butterflies that I'm supposed to feel when I'm in love. Instead, I feel my stomach up to my throat. I feel nauseous, but at the same time not.
Maybe I'm just nervous.
Yeah, that must be it. Because, what will everyone think when they see me under Trunks Briefs' arm? Or when they see us kissing behind a locker door? This will really be exhausting, but definitely worth it. Bulla will be so proud of me.
Everything will finally fall into place.
A/N: Okay, so
I'm sacrificing my anonymous-rookie-author-self by posting this chap in an airportnext to many strangers, so you people better've liked this. Mahalo